Dec 15 17:34:03 107 PA - Fine Dining and Big Questions
From Chronicles
Golden Carafe - Leonard's Room
As has become a general trend, on those days or nights when Leonard is home, he is can be expected to be 1) alseep, 2) on the way out, 3) returned merely to fetch something forgotten and then on his way out. At this time, it's a midly frantic mix of the last two, since the going out is the purpose, not just travel. A final straightening of a slim black tie (for the fourth time), a vain attempt to command obedience from the last few strands of hair (in vain), and he should be able to declare himself prepared. As awkward as he can be getting into armor, that might have been quicker and easier.
For her part, Vixen has been locked in the bedroom for the last hour. With any hint of his feet heading close to the door threatened with a terrible retribution should he make it up to the door itself. But finally she does emerge, the door clicking open quietly. But what emerges is far and away from anything Vixen has worn. For a good, long while anyway.The dress is immaculate and neat. Not a trace of dust lingers from it's long hiatus. Where she kept it is a mystery since he's never seen it in the closet. And she moves well in it as she comes down the hall to fill the end of the hallway. The parasol is held lightly between her hands and she looks nervous. Not quite so sure of herself, though the outfit comes off well. The wig set just right, without a hint that she has anything but the long, violet ringlets she does now. "So..?" Said softly as she looks up at him just a bit.
"I'm sorry, the tie took longer than-" Leonard expected her question to be on whether he is ready, or what took him so long, but that expectation is shattered as he turns her way. A few others, also, and he simply stares for a long while. Up, down, side to side, his eyes roam over her while holding a mix of surprise and ...disbelief? Leonard finally recovers his powers of speech, but still requires another moment to use them. "You look absolutely beautiful..." His smile is nearly bashful, so perhaps it's not just disbelief, but awe.
Vixen smiles at first reaction, even before he speaks. At the same time innocent and sly, that expression. The jaded expectation mingling with honest relief. And it warms at his words. She shifts the parasol to one hand, the other lightly smoothing over the skirt before she steps towards him. "I had this stored away for a while. I thought you might like it." She moves up near him, eyes lowered, though they slide up once she pauses. Her free hand lifting, presented to him with a small smile.
Leonard can receive the offered hand easily enough, and his smile warms while becoming more solid, confident, at ease. "I like it. It's ...very much you, and not, combined." All of which are quite positive, judging by his tone. He lifts her hand to brush the back of gloved knucles with his lips; a gesture borrowed from somewhere, somewhen. "You make me feel sorely under-dressed, but I think that you will make a great enough impression for the both of us."
Vixen received the expected touch of lips with an almost shy smile, but it's a brief thing, his words prompting a firm look. "You didn't exactly tell me what the dress code was," she counters. "But it's ok. If I don't feel comfortable.. we'll deal with it." She reclaims her hand lightly, then pauses the do a check. She slips the parasol under one arm and lifts the purse/pouch at her side. Opening it up, she slips out two items to inspect them briefly. A Wilk's hideaway laser pistol. Hand sized, a good holdout weapon. And one of her blinders. Making sure it's charged and ready before she closes the drawstring again.
"You're more than lovely enough," Leonard reassures, then purses his lips at the accessories. "I don't think anyone will be envious enough that you'll need those..." his firmness is fleeting, "but I know better than to mess with a woman's purse." He regains a smile, and lets the matter drop, since he has no intentions of marring the mood with a confrontation. This time, his hand is offered for hers. "Are you ready?"
"I'm not going out there without something, just in case, Leo," Vixen notes, giving him a look. But she lets it stay there and her expression relaxes. Asked if she is ready, she slips the parasol into her hand again and glances down at herself a moment. Then a hand lifts to lightly touch her now long hair, a moment taken to make sure it feels right. "Yes, I think so," she breathes, a hint of nervousness slipping in. But she takes his hand lightly. "Won't I look strange behind the wheel of that truck today." She grins a little. "Unless you can drive cars."
Leonard lets out a chuckle as he moves to escort her towards the door. "No, no cars, trucks, or even much walking, today." The weather is unpleasant and the traffic is probably worse. A moment of concentration and a light gesture are made before he fetches his cloak with his free hand and drapes it over the same arm. "Only the best travel for us." He winks, opening the door to reveal another doorway, the latter of the crackling, blue-white Leonard variety. Could it be a little excessive or frivolous? Probably, but it does keep the rain and wind off them.
Vixen is confused at first, but before the door is opened she understands. "Like we needed more attention drawn to us," she says with a faint smirk. "I do have the cape for poor weather." She grins at him and then awaits to step through with him. Letting him lead for the time being, as suits her current manner of dress.
"A little attention is never a bad thing." Leonard steps forward and escorts her to their destination with that single step.
Kingsdale - Sage Alternatives Hallway
When the weather is atrocious or traffic annoying, the commute is just a matter of tearing open space and time. A pinprick of light forms in the hall, expands to a glowing blue-white ball, then grows into a full portal. Leonard steps through, escorting Vixen beside and slightly behind, before the crackling tear snaps shut. There, now she doesn't need to worry of looking odd driving a truck while wearing a dress, or having it get wrinkled. How thoughtful of him.
Vixen steps through carefully, the parasol in one hand used to keep the flare of her dress from nicking the edge of the portal. Eyeing it carefully. Who knows what hat might do to the fabric and she does seem somewhat protective of it. But once though she looks up and around. "Sage's place?" Her brow furrowed softly. She's been there for the moving, but not since. She gives Leo a glance, quietly questioning.
It seems the time had been worked out as Sage begins to wander down the hallway. She has dressed up for the occasion it seems as she wears an elegant long dark green dress. "Welcome to Sage Alternatives." She greets them with a small smile, "If you will come with me, I will show you to your table." She says simply, gesturing faintly to the door labelled Dining Hall. She steps over to it to open it up for the guests to enter.
"Yes." Leonard nods to Vixen before dipping his head to Sage. "Thank you." He gestures towards for Vixen's benefit, then resumes their walk, explaining, "The food is wonderful, and I thought something new would be a treat." Reserving a party at Happy Burger just doesn't have the same atmosphere, and booking another restaurant all to themselves would be difficult, if not impossible.
Vixen is softly confused by it all initially, Sage's arrival and the formal air of things. Not quite what she was expecting, of course. But she flows with it, Leo's gesture and subsequent leading followed. Though it starts to settle in as they walk and she looks towards Leo. "You didn't have to. But I'm not going to walk out," she murmurs. And at the door she'll smile at Sage. Not unacknowledged.
Kingsdale - Sage Alternatives Private Dining
Sage offers each of them a smile as she leads them into the dining room. With a simple touch of a button, music begins to play very softly. The lights have been dimmed to add to the atmosphere and a candle has been pre-light in the table centerpiece. There's also a faint fragrance in the air from the combination of herbs and flowers in the vases from the corner. The retractable table has been collapsed down to its smallest size. "Please make yourselves comfortable. And should you need to refresh yourselves, just go down the hall and take a right."
Leonard imparts a light squeeze to Vixen's hand. "I didn't have to, but I did want to. I hope you'll enjoy it." He's much more certain on the first part than the last. That she's not going to walk out is some consolation, at least. Since she plays along so far, Leonard leads Vixen to the table, where he releases her hand in order to pull out her chair. "Would you like something to drink?" He nods to acknowledge Sage, and mouths an empthatic and surreptitious 'Thank you' once he has the chance.
"I don't do stuff like those so much," Vixen admits softly to Leo. Perhaps one reason it's easier to let him lead for now. The room itself gets a slow examination, especially as the atmosphere is set. A faint smile lingering as she's led to the table. She almost just reaches out to start seating herself, but the distraction slows her some and she picks up on Leo's handling of that. The lift of hand disguised as another light brush at her skirt before it can rise too high. "Thank you," she says to him lightly as she sits in the drawn out chair. Distracted enough with that to miss the discreet thanking. It takes her a moment to answer the drink order. First thoughts not seeming to fit the moment. "Uhh.. wine, I guess?" She looks up to Leo then, obviously not very well acquainted with that realm of fine dinner drinking.
A faint nod is returned to the man with a smile lingering on Sage's lips. She'll make sure the door to the hallway gets closed before she begins to drift towards the subtle door that will let her access the kitchen. "Shall I bring out a bottle? And, would you prefer red or white?" She asks softly, "Some water as well, perhaps?" She offers.
"Vixen," Leonard tries not to smile too much, or sound patronizing, chiding, nervous or anything of the sort. He nearly succeeds. "You can have whatever you like. I want you to be comfortable more than any sort of ...protocol. It's just the two of us." It isn't meant to ignore Sage, but he doesn't think she'd mind terribly if Vixen was more at ease with the chair tipped back and her feet on the table. Once one is settled, he smiles to Sage on the way to his own seat. "Red... no, all three, please." Just to cover all the possibilities.
Vixen purses her lips at Leo's note, but shakes her head and looks towards Sage. "All of 'em, yeah." Not so much the diction to fit the dress, but no picture is perfect. She leans the parasol against her chair and takes a few moments to decide what to dow with her hands. Lap? Feels odd. So she mingles her fingers together on the edge of the table. Required or not, she does try and affect some 'class'. Walking is easier to do, idling is a bit less so.
With the decision made, Sage nods faintly to the choice before moving to open the door to the kitchen. She leaves it open for the time being as it seems she will return shortly after leaving. With a tray in hand, she returns and walks up to the table. In short order, she's able to place the table settings in front of each as she didn't wish to presume where the two would choose to sit. Once placed, there is a small side dish, a couple glasses, silverware and a napkin for each. The two bottles of wine are set on the table and subsequently uncorked to be offered to both of her guests. And lastly - for the moment - she places a small style menu holder by each of them. It is a customizable three course meal that contains options she think would appear to her current customers.
Leonard managed to bring her here, in a dress no less, and they made it to their chairs without some unforeseen disaster. He thinks the picture is far more perfect that he dared imagine. Now his thoughts shift, with a bit of grinding gears. With any luck, Vixen's momentary fidget and Sage setting the table will make his pause less obvious. "Thank you, Sage." He may be repeating that often. A shift to Vixen, and some casual questions come out a little too numerous and hasty to be entirely casual, "Which would you like?" He motions to the bottles, and continues, "Have you found anything new for the new View, or anything else exciting?"
Vixen considers the wine thoughtfully, though the bottles don't tell her much when it comes to the contents. The menu is a bit better and she picks that up next to scan over. Even so, the variety of things leaves her a little uncertain. Finer dining is uncommon. The first question she delays on, the second easier. "Yeah. Met a few young guys, going to play some of their work this week. Got a pretty good sound," she says. Then she considers the menu again. "The chicken seems good," she decides then, though there is a light air of uncertainty in her voice, glancing towards Sage. A moment passing as she considers the menu before indicating stuffed cherry tomatoes for appetizer with a point and angle of the menu and the easier choice. chocolate cake for desert.
"You're welcome." Sage murmurs in response, before looking between the two people. As choices are made regarding the wine, she'll fill the wine glasses with a modest portion. She nods faintly to Vixen with a smile to the choices, "Fine choices." She replies before she looks over to Leonard to see the if the man has decided.
"Good." Leonard's nod is only slightly less vague than his brief answer. He also picks up a menu, and a little too quickly, tipping over the hold in the process. It's easily righted with only a minor fumble in reaction. If that is the only faux pas, Leonard will gladly live with it. A quick browse of the menu and he shows his 'meat and potatos' leaning. "The steak, please, and chocolate cake sounds perfect." He can't argue with Vixen's tastes, there. Instead of risk more battle with the little holder, he offers up the menu for Sage to take if she will.
Vixen smiles a little at Leo's fumble, her own menu set down well enough, slid near the edge of the table for Sage. She settles back into her chosen idle easily, now that she's decided upon it. Her hands folding onto the edge of the tale lightly. Though they unfold after to pick up her wine glass. There is a brief moment of pause before she lifts it for a decidedly dainty sip before she settles it down again. The act seeming to amuse her on some quiet level. "They may make it big. And make me rich. But I doubt it," she says lightly, giving Leo a light grin.
Sage lets a brief moment of amusement pass over her features at Leonard fumbling before she schools her features back to a more suitable hostess expression. She takes the menus back as she acknowledges the man's order. She depart for the kitchen once more, returning briefly to pour some water and leave behind a small dish with small triangular pieces of pita bread with three small cups with dipping options. "Compliments of the house." She murmurs before she disappears back into the kitchen and closes the door to begin preparations for the meal to come.
Leonard grins back and seems to relax, as his next question is more casual with its curiosity. "What would you do if it did make you rich?" Only the single query, too, left to sit out there. He smiles to Sage before she departs and then helps himself to a piece of bread to dip. An easy cure for any fidgeting.
"Do?" That does seem to give Vixen some pause. Though after considering the question for a few moments, she gives her shoulders a light shrug and says, "I suppose it depends on how rich. Ain't really poor right now. Though I can't buy everything I want." She smiles faintly. "Whatever I have enough money for, I guess." She look to the pita portions when they're brought and she looks up to Sage and smiles lightly before she picks out one for herself. Whatever looks spicy is where she dips her own portion before nibbling on it. Attempting dainty. She makes it most of the way.
"What if you /could/ buy anything and everything you wanted?" Leonard expands the hypothetical after a bite of bread with what looks to be more simple and cheesy than spice. "How would you indulge?" He looks to her with expectant curiosity, but does try to make it less prying with a smile and, "They might make it bigger than you expect."
Vixen grins a little at Leo, the question amusing. "Leo.. I'll never have that much money," she offers in laughing protest. "A lot of stuff. More stuff than I could handle, probably. But if I had that much money, I could pay people to handle things. So it would be ok. Even if they do, we didn't make deals for loads of creds. Just a little cut of whatever boost they get. So if they don't get nothing, they don't lose nothing. If they get something, then I get a little too."
As the conversation continues, the door to the kitchen opens softly once more to allow Sage to re-enter the dining room baring a plate of stuffed cherry tomatoes that is big enough for two. She sets this lightly on the table, "I hope everything is well so far." She comments softly before she begins to withdraw towards the kitchen once more.
Leonard has to chuckle with her laugh. "I suppose there'd always be more to want or need, no matter how much you had. Should I be afread?" How foolish of him to think there was a limit, though that wasn't exactly the intent of his question, and the new one was rhetorical. "Even if you aren't out to become rich, I wish them luck. Not that they'll need it, as you have good taste in music." Leonard pauses as Sage returns with the appetizers, mirth lingering. "Everything is well, I think. She hasn't walked out or shot me, yet."
Vixen smiles and shakes her head a little. "We'll see. I'm not pinning hopes. Plenty of good sounds don't get far. Has to be good to enough people to matter." And for a moment those words seem to bring her a light melancholy. But it fades as Sage returns and she leans forward a bit to consider the appetizers. Curious things, really, her expression says. Her choice, though not a common food. "They look nice," she says to Sage, offering a smile. "I'm ok." She shoots Leo a firm look and then picks out one of the stuffed tomatoes to try.
There is an apologetic smile in the wake of The Look. "We'll see." Leonard agrees with that before reaching across the small table to claim on of the tomatoes. The break in the conversation for food is used to segue. "If the band is the only excitement lately, I'm glad to hear it. We don't need anyone else chasing after you, or any parts of you. I much prefer all of those the way they are." It's kept light, but there is also a firmness there, even if it doesn't come close to reprimanding glares.
There is a flicker in Vixen's gaze. Something to be said, though she doesn't say it right now. "Oh, there's always something going on," she says airily. Though a quiet set of her expression hints that later such things can be delved into. The tomato seems to please her enough for seconds. "I'm not going to get into too much trouble since it tends to lead to being shot at and you know I don't like that," she murmurs before the next few tomatoes occupy her.
When the doorway to the kitchen opens once more, Sage comes out to first check on the status of the drinks with a pitcher of water in hand. She tops off the drinks before checking to see if they might desire their main dish now or if it would be best to wait for a bit longer.
Leonard relinquishes that morsel of concern into a grin. "I don't like it, either. An easy thing to agree on." The hints are not missed, but he can save later for later. It might not be dinner conversation, anyhow. Speaking of dinner, he follows her lead with more dinner and less conversation, at least for the moment. The wine is finally sipped and the dipping bread favored over the tomatoes. After cleaning up with a dab of napkin, he adjust and smooths his vest. Sage's arrival breaks the momentary quiet. "Now would be fine, I think?" Leonard glance to Vixen to verify or be vetoed.
Vixen looks to Sage and smiles. "Sure. I am hungry and it smells pretty good," she murmurs. "Thanks." She lightly picks up her glass then, though she fiddles with it lightly a moment before she wonders at Leo, "So what about you? Anything interesting.. out there?" Her free hand lifted to wave vaguely towards the ether. Then she sips her wine lightly, considering it with a dip of her eyes to keep through the glass.
Sage offers them both a smile, "Thank you." She replies softly before considering whether the appetizers offered need to be taken away. Should they not be desired any longer, she will gather up the two plates before heading back into the kitchen. When she returns, she carries two dinner plates. The one with a lightly sauced chicken with decorately arranged sides is placed in front of Vixen. The one with the steak and equally decorately arranged sides is placed in front of Leonard. "Enjoy." She bids them softly before she begins to depart for the kitchen once more.
"Mildly?" Leonard chuckles as he admits, "'Out there' has only been as far as the library, mostly. I believe that I've answered some of the mystery surrounding our gifted cube, though it does raise many more questions." A pause to make room for his incoming plate and thanks to Sage are made before he continues. "As for the rest, I'm still researching. I also found someone to exchange notes with, and he also happens to make delicious sandwiches."
Vixen will pluck the last few tomatoes before letting Sage take them and will polish those off while Leo is talking. The mention of the cube brings a soft grimace and she wonders. "Where are you keeping that thing? Not at home I hope. You know if it's going to do something bad?" The last a strong concern. She's still got two tomatoes in hand when Sage brings the entrees and Vixen considers the sauced chicken thoughtfully. Again, a new sort of thing for her. Food that isn't simple being rare.
Leonard shakes his head. "No, it's still locked away, and it should be safe." He cuts at his steak while he continues, having no problem with fine dining. It smells delicious, and it's meant to be eaten. "I'm fairly certain that it is made out of dark matter. It is, for lack of a better description, 'stuff' that exists in more than one dimension at once. This would explain why it seemed light one moment and heavier later. Dark matter also seems able to absorb and store energy, possibly of any kind. Magic directed at it fails because the power is collected instead of used." A pause as he takes a bite, his expression and sounds appreciative. "We should keep it away from the other, since that could trigger a release of who knows how much power. How they were made or how they arrived here," he shrugs, "I've no idea."
As Leo speaks, Vixen finishes off the last tomato. And she picks up her utensils, but is stayed from starting as she tries to figure out just what Leo is talking about. A soft furrow of her brow speaks to her lack of deep understanding. But after a few moments of consideration, she seems to get the gist. "So when those boys were banging on it it was eating up the force of them messing with it.. and that's why it was colder and heavier after?" Despite that understanding, it ends at a blank wall of general ignorance, enlightenment denied her. "What do we do with it? Is dark matter worth something?"
"Hmm..." Leonard becomes thoughtful, but the sound could also be from a fresh bite of meat. After chewing and collecting his thoughts, he attempts to answer. "Much of this is theory, or heresay, as dark matter is not common, or easy to study. How someone or something managed to craft it into something is amazing, and a mystery. It could be heavier from the energy, or just because more of it moved into our dimension, making it more 'real' to us, so to speak." He washes the bite down with some wine. "Those cubes could be part of some sort of cosmic battery. They could be worth a great deal to any who new how to use them. I've no idea of how much power they could store, or if there even /is/ a limit. They could be empty, or hold more power than in all the ley lines on the planet, in the universe, or in several."
Vixen starts eating herself, though the movements that go along with it are slow and distracted as she tries to wrap her mind around what Leo's saying. She doesn't seem to manage it, her brow creased and a soft glaze in her eyes briefly before she shakes her head a little. "So you don't know what its worth." Easy enough to reason. "I don't like the sound of this. You know.. I think I'm going to have to hide a camera outside our door. Don't need mystery people dropping stuff like this off without getting seen. What'd we do with that thing now?"
When the door opens quietly once more, Sage bears two plates of a decadent-looking chocolate cake. It seems to have been designed to look to rich to eat, but it is lightened with fluffy cake layers. She comes to set them within arm's reach of each person. "Allow me to tempt you with these." She comments, "Take your time though, this is your night to enjoy. I will remain nearby in case you wish anything else." She assures before she begins to withdraw once more.
Leonard shrugs in an honest answer. "I don't know, though a camera pointed outside is a good idea. That cube, or both... I don't know if there are more... could have a great impact, one way or the other. Unfortunately, I don't know how to make use of them, and blind prodding usually doesn't end well." The mood is greatly improved by chocolate and Sage bringing it, though, causing Leonard to smile and thank her. A brief sigh and he makes the smile linger for Vixen. "This isn't the time to worry over shop talk, though. I say that we indulge in temptation." He tries to rescue the ambience and mood, despite so easily sharing his discoveries.
Vixen shakes her head and says, "No, don't screw around with it too much. Maybe find someone that knows more about this sort of thing.. we should tell Erica before she gets her fool self and who knows who else killed playing around with that thing. Sounds dangerous to me.. and she doesn't seem to think it is at all." Vixen pauses as Sage emerges again and looks over. The cake does look appetizing and she has finished at least half of her meal. So when it gets set down, she trades without hesitation. "Thanks, Sage. This has all been real good," she says, smiling a bit despite the other troubling things.
"You're welcome." Sage replies softly before she once more disappears into the kitchen. She's content to let the pair have their night as undisturbed as possible from this point on. She'll likely check to see if she needs to clear anything away or refill drinks, but not much else.
Leonard nods his agreement on all counts. That will have to do until he can swallow the indulgent bite he just stole from the cake, then wash it down with a sip. "Thank you, Sage. Everything's turned out better than I hoped, so far." This implies that dessert is not quite the end, but he doesn't leave Vixen much time for speculation. "Oh, I did find something else in my running about that I hope you'll like, and I wanted to get your opinion."
Vixen falls to eating a few bites, the cake indeed helping her mood despite the issue with the nasty cube. When Leo mentions something else, she looks up and gives him a thoughtful look. "It'll depend on what that something is. Something you can tell me about or something I should just see?"
"Something you should see," Leonard explains with a smile that has a twitch or two at the edges, "and I'll show you." It's more important than the cake, since he sets his fork down and attempts to clean any incriminating chocolate from himself. He deliberately focuses on moving his chair out before standing, and steps around the table towards her chair.
At first, Vixen clearly thinks he means later tonight and so she looks down to her cake again. And by the time she has another bite in her mouth, he's up and coming over. Which prompts a faintly startled look up. It fades and she follows him with her eyes, curious and perhaps a bit uncertain.
Leonard is relieved to make it those few feet without incident, and lightly amused that he's caught Vixen off guard, possibly with a mouthful of cake. Neither shows much, and he appears anything but relaxed or relieved once he's there and walking isn't a distraction. "I ...found something that utterly screamed it was meant for you," there is a pause as he retrieves something from his breast pocket beneath the vest, "but I didn't want to simply give it to you." Rather than stand over her, he crouches, lifting up his hand to display his find between to fingers, between ther respective eye levels. Whether it's remarkable is in the eye of the beholder: a small, unadorned loop of polished silver bearing a single, nearly-clear stone that displays a strong violet hue in the reflected candlelight. "I wanted it to be more ...real." Nearly failing to find the word he wanted, Leonard borrows from her lexicon.
Vixen rests on the general relaxed side of things, if somewhat curious until he kneels. She goes still when he does, though her expression is unreadable. Guarded. There is a sudden spike in her tension when speaks her name.. or just before. She reacts without seeming to consider, her free hand snapping out to simply shove at his shoulder. And a moment of blind terror settles behind her eyes for that moment. It's gone before he can even fall back. Reason seems to come back to her then and remorse for her action. "Leo!" Concerned, she rises. But unused to moving quickly in her gown, she bumps the table, even as he chair scoots back. Something falls and spills, but she's stumbling a step or to two get to him. "Oh, I'm sorry, Leo, I don't know what happened. I just.. I wasn't even thinking." She will start to try and kneel next to him, but is stymied a moment, the mechanics of it foreign in this outfit.
That was not exactly the response Leonard had hoped for, but... It's better than being shot? Whatever his best and worst thoughts of her reaction, this was not it. He topples backwards onto butt, then back, but doesn't drop the ring. It's still held out upward while the rest of him is more shocked than hurt. "I... maybe I wasn't, either..."
Vixen reaches for that raised hand, suitable for helping to pull him back up. A firm, but careful pull. "That just wasn't.. oh, you look alright," she says. Looking to one side of him, then the other. Her hands keeping his, she notices the ring he still has in that hand and her eyes lower to the mix of them before they lift to his again. "You.. you weren't going to say what I think you were going to say, were you?"
Leonard sits upright, with her help. He doesn't look any worse for the wear, physically. His eyes belatedly follow hers to their hands, then to meet hers again. The nod is rather firm, all things considered, as are his words. "I was, because it seemed right. Now, I'm not so sure it was."
Vixen purses her lips faintly and seems unsure herself. "I don't know, Leo. I mean.. are you sure? I don't know.. I don't think.. I'm not really.." She's not quite sure, obviously. "This ain't a little thing.. it's a forever thing. It don't.. really happen for me." Her brow furrowed softly, she squeezes his hand between hers a little. "You don't have to, really. If you don't want to."
"I know I don't have to." Leonard actually smiles some. "I don't know what will happen between now and forever, but I know I'd want you there when it did. I know this isn't a little thing, but you, us, isn't, either." He reaches up to put his other hand over hers and squeeze. "I want to, but it depends on whether you do."
Vixen watches Leonard with wide eyes and his words seem to touch her as her eyes soften. "Oh Leo.." She sniffs softly and looks down at their mingled hands, nipping softly at her lower lip for a few moments before she carefully plucks the ring from his fingers and draws her hands free. She holds it between hers, drawn back against her chest as she looks to him once more. "I.. if you really want this.. if you really want me then ok." SHe dips her eyes then, the ring appearing from her hands. Ever so carefully she'll slip it onto her own left ring finger before looking up at him. Certain, yet uncertain in that moment.
Leonard inhales a breath that is held from the moment she takes the ring to the moment it is worn. It comes out in a sigh of relief and general venting before he smiles more. "I do really want you." Finally rising up to possibly stand, he also takes the opportunity to lean forward to aim a kiss at her cheek. He'll reach for her newly decorated hand after, to help her in standing.
Vixen does him one better, turning to press a passionate kiss onto him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. One way or another, getting her standing will work fine. "Leo.. you really, really mean this? I mean.. I'm not saying you're lying, but.." Her lips purse and she breathes softly to him, "Really, things like this don't happen for me. Maybe it sounds stupid to you, but really. I don't want you to regret this. I don't want to hurt you." She looks him in the eye as she says this, a bit of concern managing to linger.
Definately better than a cheek, and Leonard readily shifts his hands to her waist. His first answer is to nod, a little dumbfoundedly after the kiss (and everything else sinks in). "I won't change my mind tomorrow, Vix, if that's what you mean. If things like this don't happen for you, I'll be happy to break that streak." Another squeeze and he shakes his head, with a new grin. "It's not stupid, it's you being careful. You're always careful. Somebody has to keep me from doing anything terribly stupid..." he pauses, "but I don't think this is one of those things."
Vixen squeezes about his neck and smiles, warmth pushing back her prior concerns. "Leo.. I love you," she says softly, kissing him again. The dress makes other more enthusiastic shows of pleasure improbable, so she settles for just leaning into him, much lighter without the usual compliment of hardware she wears most days. "I'm sorry for pushing you. I don't know why I did that. But at least I didn't punch you. Wouldn't be the first time I've done that t o someone without thinking."
Improbable? Leonard would have thought some easier. The exuberant embrace suits him just fine, though. "It wouldn't be the first time you've done that to me, thinking or not." It hasn't dampened his interest in her, obviously. "You don't need to apologize, babe, because I love you, too."
Vixen dips her head to lay her cheek against his shoulder, eyes closed as she takes a moment. She doesn't do it often and now seems a very good time for it to her. And so she will cling and not say anything for a short while. And when she lifts her head to look at him again, there is a moment before she admits, "I don't know what to do now. You and me.. and this and.." She pauses and breathes out softly. "I've never got to do anything like this before."
Leonard is content to be a shoulder for a clinging armful of quiet Vixen. In a dress, even. When she does speak, he offers some tentative wisdom, complete with a light shrug. "We make it up as we go along? I haven't exactly done this before, either. Don't worry, I'm confident we'll figure it out. That's half the excitement, isn't it?"
"Yeah, but.. like right now," Vixen clarifies. "I don't really feel all that hungry anymore." She glances back towards the table and notices one of the glasses tipped over. But with not so much in it, the mess is minor. "But I probably will be later." She shakes her head a little and lifts a hand from about his neck to stroke his cheek. "Do we do something.. or just.. I dunno. I don't feel like we need to do anything more. It'd just be fluff and nonsense. For other people, not for me."
Leonard lifts a brow, then glances sidelong to the table. Not surprisingly, even the chocolate cake doesn't seem quite so necessary. He considers a moment before the other brow pops up. "We can do whatever you like, including nothing. What about a walk? I happen to know of a very cozy gazebo..." That it could be raining, snowing, sleeting, or hurricanes outside also becomes secondary. There are cloaks for that.
Vixen smiles at Leonard and squeezes him once more before she lets go, turning to go back to the table and pick up her parasol. "I think that's a lovely idea," she says as she turns back to him. "Do we need to pay or.." She glances towards the table, then to where Sage went. Uncertain about the deal that made the night.
"Already taken care of." Leonard retrieves his own cloak and pulls a cred card from his pocket to leave on the table. Drinks, dinner, and gratuity. He doesn't put the cloak on just yet, deferring to aid Vixen with hers, or simply making sure that her free hand isn't unoccupied.
Vixen nods to Leo and lifts her free hand to undo the clasp that holds back the light, waterproof cloak that looks to have been made just for this dress. It wraps about her in a light embrace, right down to a hair past the lowest hang of the skirt, protecting her from the neck down. She then sweeps up the parasol onto her shoulder. A movement that seems a bit too smooth to have not been practiced at some time in the past. It pops open, just enough to safely protect her head. With it laid against her shoulder, she reaches out with her empty hand. "Lead on, Leo,' she says lightly. "You know the way."
Leonard may need to ask her about the parasol, later. Among other things, possible. For now, he simply leads on, towards one future destination for them which he does know the way. Others might be a little more challenging.
